A majority out of a total of 88 surveyed companies see great potential in digitalisation, according to the survey presented in Ljubljana on Tuesday by the chamber's president Gertrud Rantzen.

Almost all companies use smart mobile devices, and two-thirds of companies employ a computer-supported management process. On the other hand, only 35% have automated production.

Slightly less than half of the surveyed companies intend to invest 2-3% of annual turnover in digitalisation of logistics and production in the next five years. Only 5% will invest more than 10%, while 34% intends to invest 1% at the most.

The biggest obstacle for digitalisation are employees' skills, followed by the amount of necessary investments and protection of data.

More than half of the companies would like to see the state encourage digitalisation with tax breaks, broadband networks and the promotion of research activity and young talents.

Rantzen said that an education system adjusted to the needs of industry was a condition for faster digitalisation, with the first step in this direction being the reintroducing of apprenticeship.

The presentation was followed by a debate, with the participants pointing to the need to develop good personnel and agreeing that a more favourable tax environment would present an additional incentive.

The chamber would like to see investments in digitalisation recognised as investments in R&D, for which a 100% tax break is applied, and a more flexible labour legislation.

"Digitalisation will eventually bring lower costs, while the purpose of the change is improving processes and quality," said Boris Presekar of the German engineering company Robert Bosch, adding that a lot of industries in Slovenia had not even concluded the third industrial revolution.

Suzana Leben of Telekom Slovenije pointed out that, according to the survey, Slovenian companies intend to dedicate a relatively small share of investments to customer relationship management. Digitalisation is fusion of technologies with expectations of customers, she added.

While robotisation and digitalisation generates fears about loss of jobs, director of the company Knauf Insulation Tomaž Lanišek pointed to the positive side. "Robotisation should be understood as assistance in the process."

On the other hand, people should make sure that their knowledge and competences remain attractive for employees. Knauf Insulation has a shortage of mechatronics engineers and other engineers. "These are the professions of the future," said Lanišek.